katanixi.gr | June 18, 2025
[A Neo-Zealot
source]
Comment by the blog Katanixi: As Orthodoxy is being fiercely
fought against and the Canonical, God-given, and Patristic Walling Off is being
slandered in various ways, we present the testimony of the Holy Mountain
(1969–2020), which serves as a support and guidepost for every Orthodox
Christian. The text is an excerpt from the article “2016–2020: The Holy
Mountain and the Alteration of the Orthodox Faith (Part III).”
Cessation of
Commemoration (Canonical Walling Off)
During the 1970s, the Holy
Mountain, relying on the Holy Canons, the teaching of the Holy Fathers, and the
Sacred Tradition of the Orthodox Church, firmly resisted the unorthodox and
anti-patristic actions of the ecumenist and freemason Ecumenical Patriarch
Athenagoras and proceeded to a years-long cessation of his commemoration during
the years 1969 to 1972. Subsequently, many Holy Monasteries of the Holy
Mountain ceased the commemoration of the next Ecumenical Patriarch, Demetrios,
as he had declared that he would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor,
Athenagoras.
Unfortunately, however, the
confessional stance of the Holy Mountain was destined to change completely with
regard to the ecumenistic overtures and ecclesiological deviations of
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, which are incomparably greater than those of
his predecessors. What follows is a brief record concerning the cessation of
commemoration of the names of Patriarchs Athenagoras, Demetrios, and
Bartholomew, which took place in the Athonite Monastic State from 1969 up to
2020.
A. Cessation of
Commemoration of Patriarch Athenagoras (1969–1972)
The heretical positions and
actions of Patriarch Athenagoras justifiably led most of the Holy
Monasteries of the Holy Mountain, as well as cell-dwelling monks—including Saint
Paisios—to cease commemorating Patriarch Athenagoras as the local bishop of
the Holy Mountain during the period 1969–1972. Fr. Theodoros Zisis notes
characteristically regarding this period of resistance and confession in the
Athonite Monastic State:
“There are many
heretical, ecumenistic delusions and sayings of Patriarch Athenagoras, which
justifiably led most of the Monasteries of Mount Athos, as well as
cell-dwelling monks—including Saint Paisios—during the three-year period
1969–1972, to cease commemorating him as the local bishop, according to the
15th Canon of the First-Second Council (861)” (Protopresbyter Theodoros Zisis, ‘We
Will Not Cause a Schism’).
Concerning the cessation of
commemoration of Patriarch Athenagoras, three characteristic excerpts from
letters of that period are presented:
a) In November 1968, a letter
was composed and co-signed by Saint Paisios, the then Abbot of the
Holy Monastery of Stavronikita Archimandrite Vasileios Gondikakis, and
Hieromonk Gregorios Chatziemmanouil, who had undertaken the task of converting
the formerly idiorrhythmic Monastery of Stavronikita into a coenobitic one. In
this letter, dated November 21, 1968, the three co-signers cited specific
unorthodox statements by Patriarch Athenagoras, while simultaneously
emphasizing that in the Holy Monastery of Stavronikita the name of the
Patriarch was still being commemorated (a rare occurrence for a
coenobitic monastery of the Holy Mountain, given that most monasteries had
ceased commemorating him), by way of tolerance and not as an expression
of assent to the ecumenistic stance of the Patriarch.
“[…] the
re-establishment of the One … Church and so many other things are
incomprehensible and literally blasphemous for the Orthodox Church. The fact
that in the Monastery of Stavronikita the name of the Patriarch is commemorated
today—a rare thing for a Coenobium of the Holy Mountain—is done by way of
tolerance, out of respect for the Church, and not as an expression of assent to
this line” (source: Orthodoxos Typos March 9, 2007, no. 1680, p. 1.5).
Two years later, in October 1970,
the Holy Monastery of Stavronikita, following the example of the other Holy
Monasteries of the Holy Mountain, ceased the commemoration of Patriarch
Athenagoras, with the strong cooperation and support of Saint Paisios in this.
b) The Holy Community of
the Holy Mountain, in a letter to all the Athonite Holy Monasteries (from which
it was requesting their opinions), emphasized that the cessation of
commemoration constitutes an act of resistance in view of the emerging
danger:
“The cessation
of Commemoration constitutes a denial and an act of resistance in view of the
emerging danger” (source: Orthodoxos Typos, no. 127, October 10, 1970).
Subsequently, the Athonite Holy
Monasteries, in their reply letters, emphatically affirmed their steadfastness
in continuing the cessation of commemoration of Patriarch Athenagoras.
c) In October 1970, the Holy
Monastery of Stavronikita ceased the commemoration of Patriarch Athenagoras
(with the cooperation of Saint Paisios), following the stance of most of
the Holy Monasteries of the Holy Mountain. Specifically, the Holy Monastery of
Stavronikita announced the cessation of commemoration of Patriarch
Athenagoras with a letter sent on October 7, 1970, to the Holy Community
of the Holy Mountain, signed by the then Abbot of the Holy Monastery,
Archimandrite Vasileios Gondikakis, on behalf of the Brotherhood (source: Orthodoxos
Typos, June 15, 1971, no. 142, p. 4).
The letter of the Holy Monastery
of Stavronikita:
i) It emphasized that a single
gesture by the Patriarch could not reassure the Orthodox conscience,
as the convictions of the Phanar remained firm and unaltered:
“Unfortunately,
as the repeated patriarchal statements over the course of years demonstrate,
this is not a matter of verbal errors or journalistic inaccuracies, but of
fixed convictions, expressed at every opportunity with full emphasis.
Therefore, it is not possible for a single gesture of the Patriarch to reassure
the Orthodox conscience, so long as the convictions of the Phanar and its
projected course remain the same.”
ii) It announced that the
commemoration of Patriarch Athenagoras was being ceased, as all margin for
tolerance or any deadline for waiting had disappeared:
“Specifically,
in our Monastery, despite the Athonite reaction, we had commemorated the
Patriarchal name to a certain extent, out of regard for ecclesiastical unity.
But after the Patriarch’s statement regarding the Filioque and the Primacy as
‘mere customs,’ we ceased the commemoration, feeling that all margin for
tolerance or any deadline for waiting had vanished. Such statements not only
constitute a negation of the God-taught and life-giving tradition of our Holy
Church, but also a mockery of the afflicted Western world […].”
iii) It emphatically declared
with confessional boldness that to follow the patriarchal and ecumenical
acrobatics is not merely inappropriate to Orthodox decorum but also contrary to
elementary seriousness:
“To follow,
therefore, the patriarchal and ecumenical acrobatics is not merely unfitting to
Orthodox decorum, but also contrary to elementary seriousness.”
B. Cessation of
Commemoration of Patriarch Demetrios
Several Holy Monasteries of the
Holy Mountain and many Athonite fathers continued the cessation of
commemoration of Patriarch Demetrios, as he had declared that he would continue
the policy of his predecessor, Athenagoras. Indicatively, a few characteristic
letters of Athonite Fathers are mentioned:
a) The Fathers of the Holy
Monastery of Simonopetra, in a letter to the Holy Community, stated
categorically:
“We persist in
the faithful observance of the decision of the Extraordinary Double Holy
Assembly, Session 52 of November 13, 1971, regarding the commemoration of the
Ecumenical Patriarch [Demetrios], who declared that he would follow the line of
his predecessor” (Orthodoxos Typos, no. 172, October 15, 1972).
b) The Abbot of the Holy
Monastery of Saint Paul, in a similar letter to the Holy Community,
emphasized that reasons of ecclesiastical conscience did not permit him to
resume the commemoration of Patriarch Demetrios, since the latter was a
modernist and walked in the footsteps of the Ecumenist Patriarch Athenagoras:
“Reasons of
ecclesiastical conscience do not permit me to resume the commemoration,
because the Ecumenical Patriarch [Demetrios] is a modernist, walking in the
footsteps of the Ecumenist Athenagoras, whose views and heretical opinions he
did not condemn” (Orthodoxos Typos, no. 213, July 1, 1974).
c) The Abbot of the Holy
Monastery of Saint Paul, in his response to the then civil Governor of
the Holy Mountain—who had asked him to resume the commemoration of the
Patriarch—declared with boldness that he would not commemorate the Patriarch’s
name, so long as he walked far from the sacred traditions of Orthodoxy and did
not condemn the Ecumenism of Athenagoras:
“[…] I cannot,
however, violate my conscience on matters of Orthodoxy. For this reason, and for
the last time, I declare that I will not commemorate the name of the
Patriarch, so long as he walks far from the sacred traditions of Orthodoxy and
does not condemn in deed and word the Ecumenism of Athenagoras. Neither the
Patriarch nor the State has the right to force me in this matter. As for you,
you are obliged to report to the competent authorities that the
constitutionally established privileges and the Self-Governance of the Holy
Mountain must be respected” (Orthodoxos Typos, no. 213, July 1, 1974).
C. Cessation of
Commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew
According to the Holy Canons and
the Patristic and Athonite Tradition, the cessation of commemoration of
Patriarch Bartholomew by the Athonite Coenobitic Monasteries and the
Cell-dwelling priests should have taken place many years ago. The cessation of
commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew was justified even before the
Pseudo-Council of Crete (June 2016), but all the more so after it, since the
Pseudo-Council introduced the Pan-heresy of Ecumenism into the sacred realm of
the Orthodox Church.
a) Before the Pseudo-Council
of Crete
Before the Pseudo-Council of
Crete (June 2016), the only Abbot of a Holy Monastery on the Holy Mountain who
expressed (at least publicly) his intention to cease the commemoration of the
name of Patriarch Bartholomew was the confessor Abbot of the Holy Monastery
of Konstamonitou, Elder Agathon, spiritual child of the venerable Elder
Ephraim of Arizona. Specifically, in late 2006, following the embrace of
Patriarch Bartholomew with Pope Benedict XVI, which took place on November 30,
2006, in the Church of Saint George at the Phanar, the then Abbot of the Holy
Monastery of Konstamonitou, Elder Agathon, informed his venerable Elder
Ephraim—who was in Arizona—of his intention to cease commemorating Patriarch
Bartholomew. Elder Ephraim responded that he was absolutely right and
agreed with him, but begged him not to proceed with the cessation of
commemoration at that time, because his spiritual brothers (i.e., the Abbots of
the Holy Monasteries of Karakallou, Philotheou, and Xeropotamou) were not in a
position to follow him at that moment. Elder Ephraim also counseled Elder
Agathon to “let the enemy come closer.”
The Abbot of the Holy Monastery
of Konstamonitou, Elder Agathon, characteristically mentioned his intention to
cease the commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew at the spiritual center of the
Holy Byzantine Church of the Prophet Elias of the Holy Metropolis of
Thessaloniki in November 2013 (where the head priest of the Church at the time
was the late struggler and confessor Protopresbyter Nikolaos Manolis, two years
before his expulsion from the Church for reasons of Faith):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05f-18kQQPk
Abbot of the Holy Monastery of
Konstamonitou, Elder Agathon:
“Personally, I
did not want to commemorate the Patriarch—not just now, but for years already.
It was by God’s Economy, not something I did deliberately. I was outside,
visiting one of my spiritual children, and while watching television, I see the
Patriarch appear on screen, celebrating the Liturgy—at the moment when
we priests say ‘Let us love one another’—he comes out from the Holy Altar, and
the Pope was sitting on the bishop’s throne, and they embrace each
other. Just seeing that scene—I couldn’t sleep for three days and nights. I
called my Elder, who is in America (i.e., Elder Ephraim of Arizona), and I
told him: ‘I am cutting off the commemoration. I saw this on television,
I didn’t do it on purpose, I just saw it, and I can’t bear it—I can’t get over
it. I will cut the commemoration.’ And my Elder from America
begged me and said: ‘My son, you are absolutely right—I agree with you.
However, we are four brothers: Karakallou, Philotheou, Xeropotamou,
Konstamonitou. Your three other brothers,’ he told me, ‘cannot follow you. They
don’t have the mettle you have. So do it for me.’ And I obeyed my Elder and did
not cut the commemoration.”
b) After the Pseudo-Council of
Crete
After the Pseudo-Council of
Kolymbari, the venerable Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Konstamonitou,
Elder Agathon, desired to cease the commemoration of Patriarch
Bartholomew. For this reason, he attempted to contact his ailing and venerable
Elder Ephraim, who was in Arizona, in order to receive his blessing and to wall
himself off together with his spiritual child, Protopresbyter Nikolaos Manolis.
However, this communication and contact could not take place due to various
difficulties that Elder Ephraim was facing in America. Moreover, because of a
serious health issue and his advanced old age, it was not easy for Elder
Agathon to support the confessional decision of cessation of commemoration, as
he would have needed to uphold, admonish, and guide with all his strength the monks
and nuns under his spiritual care, as well as the countless number of his
spiritual children, along the difficult and martyric path of cessation of
commemoration. In practice, however—tangibly—the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of
Konstamonitou, Elder Agathon, affirmed and sealed the cessation of
commemoration (Walling Off), as he blessed the canonical Walling Off of his
spiritual child, Protopresbyter Nikolaos Manolis, by laying his hands upon his
head and giving him a special blessing, in the presence of witnesses.
Concerning the intention of
cessation of commemoration by the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Konstamonitou,
Elder Agathon, as well as the special blessing he gave for the Walling Off of
Protopresbyter Nikolaos Manolis, the relevant excerpt is presented below from
the homily of Fr. Nikolaos Manolis entitled “The Anniversary of the Walling
Off and Elder Agathon”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOMniscaESA
“It is true
that, in practice—tangibly—Elder (Agathon) confirmed the Walling Off and
sealed it. First of all, I have said before how he blessed my own Walling
Off by laying his hands on my head—a special, most special blessing he gave me
with both his holy little hands; the witnesses who were present there confirm
it. We are in a position to know that the Elder foresaw his death and was
preparing for it throughout the previous year. However, I want to add something
here: that the Elder, even though he had already suffered a stroke, even though
Kolymbari was a major reason to cease commemoration, desired the cessation
of commemoration (of Patriarch Bartholomew). He attempted several times to
call his ailing Elder Ephraim in Arizona to receive his blessing so that, together
with me, he could also proceed with the Walling Off. The Elder had this
principle—he wanted the blessing of his Elder. They were not able to speak;
there were some issues at the time in Arizona, some problems concerning the
Elder and his presence in the Monastery there. I do not want to enter into that
discussion—we were not able to have such contact.
The Elder, by
blessing me, declared that he had his deputy [protopalíkaro, or "first
son"]. I am not worthy of being called his deputy, but that was the
Elder’s position—I’m simply stating it—he said it publicly. He had his deputy cease
commemoration. He said: 'Papa-Nikolas represents me.' This is not the first
time in Orthodoxy that such a thing has occurred—where the Elder gives the
blessing, and the disciple bears witness, walls himself off, while the Elder
does not enter into it himself. For the Elder did not only have himself to
consider. He had two Monasteries—it was not easy to manage all the monks
and nuns. He also didn’t have the health to support such a decision, to carry
the weight of it. But he found in me that madness for the love of Orthodoxy, he
blessed me, and he understood what I carried within me and made use of it. That
is who the Elder is.”
Additionally, beyond the desire
for cessation of commemoration on the part of the venerable Abbot of the Holy
Monastery of Konstamonitou (and the concrete confirmation, sealing, and
blessing of the Walling Off of Protopresbyter Nikolaos Manolis), cell-dwelling
monks of the Holy Mountain ceased the commemoration of Patriarch
Bartholomew as their local Bishop. Among those who ceased commemoration is the
venerable Elder Gabriel of the Koutloumousian Cell of Saint
Christodoulos of Patmos, who, in his confessional open letter sent a few
months ago to the Holy Community, declared the following concerning the
cessation of commemoration:
i. After the Pseudo-Council of
Crete, he—like many other Fathers—ceased the commemoration of the chief
architect of the heresy, Patriarch Bartholomew, and broke communion with those
of like mind with him, relying upon the Holy Canons, the Tradition of the Holy
and God-bearing Fathers, the hundreds of historical examples, as well as the
unbroken practice of former Athonite Fathers.
“After the
treacherous-to-Orthodoxy Council of Kolymbari in the year 2016, where the
age-old heresies were shamefully and collectively crowned with the most
honorable title of ‘Church’—although there is only one, according to the holy
Creed, which constitutes the very Body of Christ—I ceased, in the Holy Cell, as
did many other Fathers, the commemoration of the chief architect of the heresy,
Patriarch Bartholomew, and communion with those of like mind with him. This was
applied according to the provisions of the Holy Canons—the 31st Apostolic
Canon, which holds ecumenical authority, and the 15th of the First-Second
Council under St. Photius in 861—according to the solid tradition of the Holy
and God-bearing Fathers in hundreds of historical examples, and the
uninterrupted practice of our predecessor Athonite Fathers even up to 50 years
ago, under Patriarch Athenagoras.”
ii. The patristic walling off
does not constitute a schism, nor a parasynagogue:
“This walling off, as outlined in
its causes, conditions, and purpose by the Holy Fathers, does not constitute a
schism, nor a parasynagogue, because it is impossible for the Holy Fathers to
harm the Church.”
Unfortunately, however, one year
after the Pseudo-Council of Crete, a text by the Former Abbot of the Holy
Monastery of Iveron, Archimandrite Vasileios Gondikakis, was published as an
official document of the Holy Mountain, under the title “Message of the Holy
Mountain concerning the Holy and Great Council in Crete” (June 30, 2017). The
Message of the Holy Mountain essentially marked a shift in Mount Athos's
stance regarding the defense of Orthodox Faith and Ecclesiology, as it not
only failed to condemn the unorthodox decisions and texts of the
Pseudo-Council, but also attempted to suppress all the entirely justified
voices of protest and the cessations of commemoration of the names of the
Bishops (who either took part in the Pseudo-Council or supported its texts),
stating that “There is no reason for unrest, since the Risen Lord is with us.”
“There is a
constant underlying unrest observed, caused by reactions against the decisions
of the Holy and Great Council (Crete, 2016). Wallings off and cessations of the
commemoration of local bishops are being proposed. Since we are recipients of
these concerns and are within the Church, we address to all the greeting of the
Risen Christ: Peace be unto you. There is no reason for unrest, since the Risen
Lord is with us. The Council took place after many years of preparation.” (‘Message
of the Holy Mountain concerning the Holy and Great Council in Crete’, June 30,
2017).
What is most dramatic, however,
is that within the Athonite Monastic State, beyond the attempt to suppress the
justified reactions that arose due to the unorthodox decisions of the
Pseudo-Council, there is also a persecution of the confessing Athonite
Fathers who ceased the commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew. A
characteristic example is the persecution of the venerable Elder Gabriel
(of the Koutloumousian Cell of Saint Christodoulos of Patmos), who on
06/06/2020 revealed in a public statement that in recent years events have
taken place which are part of a plan aimed at his physical and psychological
annihilation, due to the fact that he does not commemorate Patriarch
Bartholomew after the Pseudo-Council of Crete.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZf6XvN6CTQ
“I firmly
believe that all of the above are part of a plan for my physical and
psychological annihilation, due to the fact that I do not commemorate the
Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew after the Council of Crete on 06/06/2016,
with which I do not agree that Papism and the other heretics are a Church.”
The above text is an excerpt from the article “2016–2020:
The Holy Mountain and the Alteration of the Orthodox Faith (Part III).”
Greek source: https://katanixi.gr/agio-oros-ierokanoniki-apoteichisi-apo-toys-airetizontes-patriarches-kon-poleos-1969-2020/
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